Tanya Donelly and Chris Brokaw: “Novus Annus Adiit”

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The last time I encountered Chris Brokaw, I was lying in the middle of the road after a sudden faint. Brokaw was staying at my flat at the time, and his worried face was the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes. “I think you should go to the emergency room,” he said.

I was a bit bummed, having looked forward to an in-depth chat with one of my musical heroes. After all, he co-founded the pioneering slowcore band Codeine and the criminally underrated Come, while also lending his guitar capabilities to roughly 600 other artists. So it made sense to see him join forces with a fellow Bostonian — and another personal favorite — indie mainstay Tanya Donelly (co-founder of Throwing Muses, the Breeders, and Belly).

But the musical direction of their collaboration came as a (pleasant) surprise.

The aim of their new project is to reimagine centuries-old medieval music for a modern audience, partly inspired by the Norwegian vocal group Medieval Trio. Their first single, “Novus Annus Adiit,” is strangely hypnotic and deeply captivating, as if they’re carefully peering into an abyss of ancient mystery — something that has existed forever — only to give it new life. The track is a vivid reminder of Donelly’s radiant voice and Brokaw’s gift for creating ethereal soundscapes. Perhaps this is exactly what we need in an age defined by unrest and chaos.

And I did manage to catch up with Mr. Brokaw after a brief hospital check-in, though medieval music never came up.

 

Labi Siffre: “Far Away”

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​​Born in London in 1945, singer, songwriter and poet Labi Siffre is, amongst those who remember his classic 1970s catalog, deeply beloved for his flawless blend of soul, folk, jazz, reggae and funk. And his songs paired warm melodies with introspective, often socially conscious lyrics. A cultural trailblazer, Siffre openly questioned religion and broke barriers for artists of color and the LGBTQ+ community, long before such conversations were regular in popular music.

Though he never became a mainstream star during his heyday, Siffre’s influence has proved enduring, through sampling and covers by JAŸ-Z, Primal Scream, Eminem, Miguel and more (not to mention his recent TikTok resurgence). He’s an unsung hero with a remarkable body of work still waiting to be discovered, and now is a perfect time with his first new album in almost 30 years on the way. Even at 80, his warmth and quiet strength remain fully intact on the gorgeous piano ballad “Far Away,” a moving reminder of a singular voice and a unique and lasting legacy. 

Brown Horse: “Sorrow Reigns”

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Who could’ve guessed that the finest folk-rock band in recent memory would hail from Norwich? Known mostly for … honestly, I don’t know what they’re known for aside from a sadly mediocre football team competing with neighboring Ipswich.

Well, Brown Horse is just the band you’ve been looking for. They’ve got a couple of really strong albums under their belt, and their new singles are seriously on fire. “Sorrow Reigns,” the second one from their forthcoming album Total Dive (out April 10 on Loose Music), is a standout. If you appreciate the warm, rugged guitar glow of Magnolia Electric Co.; the vocal interplay of Richard and Linda Thompson; ’90s indie; and ’70s country-rock, you’ll have a good sense of the terrain. The result is a beautifully balanced cocktail of rugged Americana and British folk-rock.

This is music for dreaming of endless prairie highways, only to wake up broke and heartbroken in a parking lot outside Tesco. 

Kevin Morby: “Javelin”

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Sometimes the algorithms get it just right. When I first listened to “Javelin,” it was followed by MJ Lenderman’s version of Jason Molina’s “Just Be Simple,” neatly connecting three of the most preeminent and acute observers of 21st-century Middle America — true masters of the Midwestern blues. Small towns, endless prairie highways and the bleak solitude beneath vast skies.

Morby grew up in Kansas City and joined New York psych-folk adventurers Woods in the early 2010s before building a highly impressive solo career, including modern-day classics like Singing Saw (2016) and his moving reckoning with his father’s death, This Is a Photograph (2022). “Javelin,” featuring Amelia Meath from Sylvan Esso, is the lead single from his forthcoming album, Little Wide Open (May 15), produced by Aaron Dessner (The National, Taylor Swift) and featuring contributions from Justin Vernon, Lucinda Williams and many more.

The tension between world tours and homebound isolation is familiar territory for many musicians, but lyrically Morby stands a head above most of his peers. Musically, he remains irresistible — strikingly confident, honest and vulnerable at the same time.

You know I have been
Traveling
Through the air and down the highway
Like a javelin

Towards this old cow town in the Bible Belt
Remember when they asked us, baby, just how it felt
To be alone in the middle of
Middle America?

There is nothing algorithmic about Kevin Morby, who’s further cementing his position as one of the most original and human storytellers of our time. 

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever: “Sunburned in London”

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I’ve always had a soft spot for “down underground” indie rock: the New Zealand Dunedin scene of the Chills, the Clean, and the Bats, alongside Australian greats like the Triffids, Sunnyboys, the Go-Betweens, and the Church. When Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever emerged in the mid-2010s, it felt like a dream for people like me — songs such as “French Press” and “Talking Straight” honored the aforementioned legacy but with a modern twist. A sparkling fire that felt older than it was.

After three excellent full-lengths, they’ve finally returned after four years of silence. And honestly, what else is there to say but: Welcome back, mates!

“Sunburned in London” (wait, what?) stretches close to seven minutes of pure RBCF bliss — dreamlike and jangly, effortlessly catchy, cool and poetically rich. From London to New York, Tokyo, Oslo, and finally Melbourne, they sketch a global travelogue, capturing the vibe and essence of each place just perfectly.

Sunburned in Oslo
Glass towers gleaming
In the brilliant views
Expensive blues
In secret harbours
Teens try mischief
But it gets harder
When the midnight sun
Shines down
Down on everyone

Add that one to the next Joachim Trier movie! 

Ellie O’Neill: “Bohemia”

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After spotlighting new music from Lisa O’Neill last week, it feels fitting to return to Ireland once more — this time with Ellie O’Neill. Also an Irish folk singer, she’s at the very beginning of what feels like a promising career, judging by this striking first single from what will be her debut album. O’Neill has already built a reputation through extensive touring and appearances at Other Voices, Green Man and Pitchfork London, as well as supporting like-minded artists such as Adrianne Lenker.

“Bohemia” immediately positions her as a compelling new voice in the ever-evolving Irish folk scene. Working with, among others, mixer Philip Weinrobe (Big Thief, Billie Marten), O’Neill comes across as intimate and cool, tender yet assured, esoteric but clear-eyed. With only Leonard Cohen-like acoustic guitar and a few ominous, well-placed drum hits, her vocals and lyrical imagery are given ample space to resonate.

Carving dancers high and mighty
Look how the old is new
Shifting forms, the greenest deity
Cailleach and Clothrú

It’s a beautiful merging of the ancient and the modern – and a strong first step on a journey I’m eager to follow. 

Lisa O’Neill and Peter Doherty: “Homeless in the Thousands (Dublin in the Digital Age)”

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Irish folk singer and songwriter Lisa O’Neill just released The Wind Doesn’t Blow This Far Right, a pointed and powerful collection that grapples with political and social tensions. The EP spans classic poetry (“The Bleak Midwinter,” “Autumn 1915”), a stark reimagining of Bob Dylan’s “All the Tired Horses” (as heard on Peaky Blinders some years back) and a handful of newer songs. I recommend listening to this wonderful EP in its entirety, but have chosen “Homeless in the Thousands (Dublin in the Digital Age)” — originally released earlier in 2025 — as my gateway pick.

They were homeless in the dozens
When I was a kid
They say that things were bad then
But this is off grid

Irish folk music has a rich tradition, and the 21st century continues to show how a new generation of artists is not only carrying the torch but revitalizing the genre. Finding new paths in well-trodden soil, by using their voices to speak up and speak out. Lisa O’Neill is a standout artist in that sense — she’s been releasing music since 2009, and is a voice that matters. On this song she paints a realistic picture of Dublin’s housing crisis, with striking lyrics, a simple musical backdrop and a spoken-word verse from Peter Doherty.

All our heroes would be reeling
And rolling in their graves
If they saw the state of
O’Connell Street today

This is folk music at its finest, stepping out of the museums and archives and back on the street, where it belongs. Where its stories matter most.

Bill Callahan: “The Man I’m Supposed to Be”

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My relationship to Bill Callahan goes back to 1992, when he released the album Forgotten Foundation under his longtime moniker Smog. It marked the beginning of a relationship that has only deepened over the 30-plus years since – he’s become one of those rare artists who seem to grow in tandem with your own life.

Now 59, Callahan has matured profoundly as a singer and songwriter, evolving from his homemade, fuzzy, lo-fi beginnings into a bandleader with a more eclectic, full-bodied sound. His forthcoming 2026 album, My Days of 58, offers the first glimpse of where he’s heading.

The somber, acoustic opening of its first single, “The Man I’m Supposed to Be,” gradually blossoms into richer, more exploratory textures reminiscent of his 2022 album YTI⅃AƎЯ. Here, he deals with adulthood, reflections on the past and the future, life and mortality, and being the best version of yourself. As the master of mundane observations and personal struggles, his poetry cuts through as always with clarity, stark realism and vivid imagery.

And now my biggest fear is not the dying
My biggest fear is that I’ll stop trying
To be the man I am supposed to be

There’s something deeply human about Bill Callahan. And in the end, can we ever ask for more from an artist? It’s been a remarkable ride together and still is. Here’s to our next thirty together. 

Lankum: “Ghost Town”

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The Specials captured the turmoil and racial tension of early-’80s Britain with “Ghost Town.” Released in 1981, the haunting 2 Tone/ska single topped the charts in the wake of massive riots, the bleak backdrop of Thatcherism, widespread strikes, terrorist attacks and soaring unemployment. Times were rough in Britain, so when the Specials proclaimed, “This place is coming like a ghost town / No job to be found in this country / Can’t go on no more / The people getting angry,” they were simply reporting the harsh realities outside their doorstep.

Forty-five years later, and just in time for the spooky season, Irish doom-folk band Lankum revisits the song with their singular mix of power and patience, and a surprising dose of playfulness. The track begins like a funeral procession, a mournful dirge echoing the original’s desolation, before morphing into something far more buoyant than we’ve come to expect from Lankum. In their own words, it was “an incredibly enjoyable journey that had us gleefully playing with synthesisers and drum machines in Hellfire Studios, trying to come up with the scaldiest ’90s-sounding techno for the outro section of the track.”

Lankum’s “Ghost Town” is a perfect cover song in the truest sense — not just an homage, but a reinvention. It honors the spirit of the original while transforming it into something new, vital and exciting. That’s the trick — and this one’s a treat.

Black Eyes: “TomTom”

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Black Eyes remains one of the most remarkable bands on the equally remarkable Dischord label, surrounded by kindred acts like Lungfish and Q and Not U. During their brief initial run, they released two stunning albums – their self-titled 2003 debut and Cough the following year – just as they were disbanding. I was fortunate enough to witness their ecstatic, heavily rhythmic live performance/jam session back then, with two drummers and bass players, saxophone, lots of screaming and dancing. It was all chaos and ecstasy, and I still revisit both records to relive the energy.

Fast forward to 2025, and Black Eyes have stirred back to life. Their first new album in over two decades, Hostile Design, proves that not only have they aged well, it’s as if they never aged at all. The record brims with the same musical curiosity, propulsive rhythms and ferocious energy that once defined them, weaving together angular post-punk, dub, jazz and noise rock with effortless precision. “TomTom,” the album’s closing track, distills all these elements into one exhilarating piece, throwing us twenty years back while simultaneously propelling us forward. God how I have missed them, and man I’m glad they’re back.

Originally published on tidal.com/magazine October 10, 2025